Cording-seal.



Patented July I5, 1902.

E. J. BROOKS. CORDING SEAL.

A pplication filed May 12, 1902.

(No Model.)

Snuenfoz witnesses u w w W m a 11-1: norms PETERS co, PHOTOLXTHO" wnsrumrron, D. c.

UNrrn STARS OFFICE.

concise-SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part 05 Letters Patent NO. 704,673, dated July 15, 1902.

Application filed May 12, 1902. Serial No. 106,989. (No model.)

To atZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of East Orange, in the State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Golding-Seals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to those means for sealing commercial packing-cases, baggage, 850., in which twine or cord constitutes the shackle of the seal and the seal proper or seal-disk, as it is herein termed, is of sheet metal. The invention is additional to the improvements in cording-seals set forth in my previous specifications formingpart of United States Letters Patent No. 573,758, dated December 22, 1896, and No. 591,368, dated October 5, 1897. I have discovered that the locking-plate set forth in said previous specifications may be wholly dispensed with and the seal-disk made complete of two pieces of scraptin or the like without loss of security and with considerable saving in the first cost of the seals, both as regards material and workmanship; and the present invention consists in an improved seal-disk of the novel construction whereby this efiect is accomplished and in certain novel features of construction forming part of the improved cording-seal, as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this speci fication as part thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a face view of the improved seal-disk. Fig. 2 is a back view thereof. Fig. 3 representsa section through all on the line 3 3, Fig. 1, showing the thread ing-hole at the bottom of the seal-disk. Fig.

4 represents a section through the two parts of the seal-disk as they appear before they are united, showing the threading-holes at the top of the seal-disk. Fig. 5 is a back view of the seal as it appears before the knot of the cord is drawn into place within the seal-disk. Fig. 6 is a back View of the press-fastened seal, and Figs. 7 and 8 are back views of modified seal-disks.

Like reference letters and numbers refer to like parts in all the figures.

In carrying this invention into effect I combine with the customary sealing-cord A a sheet-metal seal-disk B of novel construction. The seal-disk B is composed of two pieces 1 and 2, Fig. 4, adapted to be formed by means of stamping-dies out of scrap-tin or like small pieces of sheet metal and constructed, respectively, with interlocking marginal flanges a and b to form a secure circumferential joint, permanently uniting the two pieces. The body of the face-piece 1 is a fiat disk and is provided with a central pair of ragged eyelets c, the jagged prongs of which project into the interior of the seal-disk, as in Fig. 3. The back piece 2 is dome-shaped with a flattened apex or crown, provided with a pair of ragged eyelets o, the prongs of which are opposed to those on the face-piece 1. The back piece 2 is further constructed with threading-holes d and 6, arranged at top and bottom, respectively, with reference to the permanent lettering or distinguishing-marks on the face of the face-piece 1, represented in Fig. 1. The threading-holes d forthe top of the seal-disk B are preferably distinct for the respective ends of the cord A, and the partially-severed metal punched therefrom forms inwardly-projecting tongues f, which are effective in locating the knot 3 of the cord within the seal-disk, as hereinafter described. The threading-hole e at the bottom of the seal-disk is preferably common to the two ends of the cord and of sufficient size to admit the knot 3 of the cord after the latter has been securely tied, as in Fig. 5, so that the same may be located with the aid of said tongues f between the cord-locking prongs of the face-piece 1 and back piece 2 with reference to the penetration of the knot 3 itself by the points of said prongs when the seal is press-fastened, as in'Fig. 6.

The seal may be securely fastened in an ordinary seal-press by simply indenting or partially flattening the dome-shaped back piece 2 of the seal-disk B, or it may be fastened in like manner by means of an ordinary hammer or the like, the lettering or distinguishing-marks, Fig. 1, being preferably and conveniently permanent. and stamped with or Without the serial number indicated in Fig. l at the factory inuthe process of manufacture. When fastened, the seal is adapted to withstand any pulls to which the seal-disk may be subjected, whether accidentally or with fraudulent intent, while any tampering with the hard stiff sheet metal of the sealdisk in attempts to release either end of the cord is certain to result in such defacement as to insure detection, and with the inclosed knot 3 it would be necessary to disconnect and separate the pieces 1 and 2 of the sealdisk in order to release either end of the cord.

The advantages resulting from the cordlocking prongs integral with the face-piece and back piece of the seal-disk may obviously be secured in a two-part seal-disk having individual threading-holes d at both top and bottom, as in Fig. 7, and the advantages of the novel construction as a whole maybe obtained with a two-part seal-disk having holes e at both edges, adapted to admit the knot 3 from either edge, as in Fig. 8. The distinguishing-marks, Fig. 1, may, if preferred, be printed Wholly or in part by means of rubber stamps or the like, or they may be embossed by the dies of the seal-press; but neither of these modes is recommended. Other like modifications, such as the duplication of thewardly-projecting prongs integral with said face-piece and back piece respectively, said back piece being further constructed with threading-holes arranged for the insertion therethrough of the ends of the sealing-cord between the prongs of the respective parts of the seal-disk.

2. The combination with a knotted sealingcord of a two-part seal-disk composed of a face-piece and a back piece permanently united with each other by a circumferential joint and provided with threading-holes at opposite edges of the seal-disk, one of said threading-holes being common to both ends of the cord and adapted to admit the knot of the cord into the interior of the seal-disk, the seal-disk being further provided with inwardly-projecting prongs adapted to interlock with said knot of the cord when the sealdisk is press-fastened.

3. The combination with a knotted sealingcord of a two-part seal-disk comprising a facepiece provided with permanent distinguishing marks and having inwardly-projecting prongs integral therewith, and a dome-shaped back piece having inwardly-proj ecting prongs integral therewith, a pair of threading-holes and internal tongues formed of the partiallysevered metal punched from said threadingholes at one edge of the disk, and a single threading-hole common to both ends of the cord and adapted to admit the knot of the cord at the opposite edge of the disk, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

EDWARD J. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS TIERNEY, P. I. BALLON, Jr. 

